Dispensing type closure



2 SheetsShee 1 INVENTOR. JEROME J. GALBIERZ ATTORNEY Feb. 14, 1961 J. J.GALBIERZ DISPENSING TYPE CLOSURE Filed Jan. 31, 1957 M 5 2 a w w z w a mIll/ FIG.6.

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Feb. 14, 1961 J. J. GALBIERZ 2,971,681

DISPENSING TYPE CLOSURE Filed Jan. 31, 1957 Z SheetS-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.JEROME J. GALBIERZ ATTORNEY United States Patent Oflice 2,971,681Patented Feb. 14, 1961 DISPENSING TYPE CLOSURE Jerome J. Galbierz,Glendale, Mo., assignor to RC. Can Company, Overland, Mo., a corporationof Missouri Filed 32111.31, 1957, Ser. No. 637,459

3 Claims. (Cl. 222-548 This invention pertains to dispensing typeclosures for use on cans and, more specifically, to closuresincorporating a pour spout or openings for shaking out the contents ofthe can, or both.

Closures of this type are in general use for cans containing afluid-like product, and the improvements of the instant invention willbe better understood by a brief description of the prior structures.

These dispensing closures are generally formed of two metal or tworigid, molded plastic parts, which can be conveniently described as anunder closure and a turn top. The under closure is a short, cylindricalbody with a closed end and an external flange at its open end. Atriangular-shaped dispensing opening is located at one side in itsclosed end.

Rotatably retained in the internal cavity of the short, cylindrical bodyof the under closure is a turn top usually formed with a recessed knobor bar and dispensing openings for shaking out or pouring out thecontents. The position selected by turning the knob determines the openor closed positions of the closure. I

The described closure has attained substantial use on salt cans, forexample. These usually have a spirally wound paper body with paper endstelescoped thereon and secured by adhesive.

During the packaging, the body and one end are assembled, the containerfilled, and the top end, having the dispensing closure already fixedtherein, placed on the body and secured. Fixing the closure in the topcan end is a preliminary step performed in complex machines which unitethe dispensing closure with the edges of a suitable opening in the topend by crimping the metal onto the edge of the opening it the closure isof metal, or heat-sealing the closure to the edge of the opening it theclosure is a thermoplastic.

It will be readily apparent, therefore, that the packager must obtainsuitable machinery to assemble the canthat is, place the top end on thecan body after the product has been placed in the can. This machinery isexpensive, and not within the reach of the smaller packager. A largermarket for this type of can exists if there were no need for expensivepackaging machinery.

It is the object of this invention to simplify the packaging operationby using a new type of dispensing closure according to this invention,and thereby expand the market for this type of can and closure.

According to this invention, the dispensing closure is constructed ofpliable material, so that it has built-in ductibility. The material andthe novel construction permits insertion of the dispensing closure intothe hole in the top can end after the can is completely assembled, andinsures a tight, locking fit of one within the other, thus simplifyingthe packaging steps. 1

This change makes it possible for the can manufacturer to merchandisethe can to the packager already assembled. 'Ihe packager fills the canwith his product through the hole in the top end in the usual type ofpackaging machinery for this purpose, and then inserts the pliabledispensing closure by hand or by a simple machine.

The closure has means for indexing its proper position Within theopening engaging with corresponding means formed in theedge of theopening in the top end by inserting the means on the edge of the closureagainst this edge of the opening. A lip formed around the closure underbody flexes as the opposite edge of the closure is forced into theopening, due to the pliability of the material, without distorting theedge of the opening in the can top end, and then engages into snuggripping engagement with the upper and under side surfaces thereof.

The device described in detail hereinafter may take various forms. Byway of example, one of these forms is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an environmental view, in perspective, showing an assembledcan with closure.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the under closure.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2. 1

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the turn top.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the assembled closure.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of an assembled can without the closure andready for filling.

Figs. 8 and 9 are side elevational views of a can partly in section,illustrating the steps in assembling the closure on the can afterfilling.

Closure structure In the following detailed description, like parts areindicated by the same reference characters.

In Fig. l the can illustrated is a closed container with a dispensingtype of closure constructed according to this invention. The can itselfhas a spirally wound paper body 10 with a flanged top end of paper suchas 11, and a bottom end (not shown) formed in the same manner and of thesame material. Both ends are adhesively secured to the can body.According to this invention, the can is sold to the packager inassembled condition, ready to be filled, as in Fig. 7, through asuitable opening 12 notched at 13 to index the position of thedispensing closure.

Figs. 2 through 6 illustrate the details of the closure applied to thecan. a

The dispensing closure is preferably formed in two parts, an underclosure 15 and a turn top 16. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate the constructionof the former, and Figs. 4 and 5 the latter.

The under closure is preferably a short cylinder 17 with a bottom wall18 and tapered flange 19 around its open end. The bottom wall has acentral hole 20 and a dispensing opening 21, which is preferably oftriangular shape. Around the bottom end of the cylindrical body 17 is abeveled flange 22 formed with an upwardly facing, abrupt shoulder 23opposite the under side of the flange 19. The space between the flangeand the shoulder forms a circumferential groove 24 suitably dimensionedto snugly grip the paper of the can top end at the upper and lowersurfaces thereof around the periphery of the hole 12. A projection 25 onthe under closure fits into and indexes the position of the underclosure in the can end 11. The groove 24 is preferably continuous anduninterrupted by the projection 25.

Turning now to Figs. 4 and 5, the turn top 16 comprises a disk-like bodyportion 27 surrounded by an upstanding flange 28 at its periphery. Theunder surface carries a hollow boss 29 having an external, upwardlyfacing shallow shoulder 30. On the upper recessed surface of the diskbody 27 is a bar 31 forming a convex! 'pound has suitablecharacteristics.

ient finger piece for turning the turn top within the under closure. Apair of upstanding flanges 32 and 33 are integral with the flange 28 anddiverge from one another to form a pour spout for the dispensing opening34 formed in the disk 27. On the opposite side of the bar 31 are aplurality of shaker holes 36.

As stated heretofore, it is deemed preferable that both the underclosure and the turn top be formed of a pliable material. It has beenfound that a polyethylene com- These characteristics facilitate themanufacture, assembly, and operation of the device. For example, afterthe under body has been molded, it is readily removable from thesingle-piece mold, in spite of the upward facing shoulder 23. This canbe readily accomplished by theuse of a knock-out device in the moldwhich distorts the closed end 1-8 Within the cylindrical body so as todraw the shoulders 23 outwardly from the mold cavity before the underclosure is fully ejected. The other advantages following from the use ofthis material will appear as the description proceeds.

Assembly of closure Fig. 6 shows the under closure16 and the turn top 15assembled. Because the boss 29 is hollow, it is readily compressed topass through the hole 20 and then expands with the shallow shoulder 30,locking the turn top within the under closure. The assembled device ispliable, and is readily flexible.

Assembly of closure and can Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate the simple steps inthe assembly of the closure with the filled cans. As the cans come downthe line from the filling machine, the operator merely inserts the oneedge of the dispensing closure which has the index projection 25 intothe notch 13 in the can top. The entire closure is flexed, as shown inFig. 8, so'as to permit the shoulder 23 adjacent the projection 25 togrip the under surface of the can top. This is facilitated by the shapeof the notch 13.

When the initial engagement is done in this manner, full engagement ofshoulder 23 beneath the edge of the hole is assured. After the indexingoperation is completed, pressure is exerted about the periphery 'of theclosure, preferably in a progressive manner, from the indexed edgetoward the side of the can top, thus forcing the closure into place.Shoulder 23 snaps through opening .11 into gripping relation with theperiphery of the opening in the can to anchor the closure and form atight-seal against leakage. As will be noted, the beveled edge 22 isslightly less in diameter than the opening in the can so as to act as aguide for the closure during the assembly process, and, although the topis usually of paperboard, which is very flexible, the nature of thematerial from which the closure is formed makes the assembly operationpractical, especially after the can is filled with salt or like materialnearly to the top. The material within the can adds to its rigidity, andthe action of the beveled edge 22 prevents the escape of air trapped inthe container, thus forming a supporting air cushion under the top endof the can while the closure is forced into place.

It will be readily recognized that this assembly operation can beperformed as well by a simple machine as by hand.

Operation In use, the turn top may be turned to the pour, shake, orclosed position by seizing the bar 31 with the fingers, which makes thedevice readily adapted to convenient use in dispensing the contents.Because of the nature of the material from which the closure is formed,there will be no danger of the turn top sticking within the underclosure, due to fine particles of salt or the like of dispensed materialfinding their way between the interengaging surfaces of the two closurepieces. This is a 4 dclinite advantage, since it is not unusual for theprior devices to become stuck. When this happens, the added force tofree the turn top merely causes the entire closure to rotate within thecan upper end, and the device hecomes useless.

A structure hasbeen described which will fulfill all the objects of thepresent invention, but it will be readily recognized that modificationsthereof will occur to those skilled in the art which come within theterms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A dispensing type closure for assembly with a suitably aperturedpaper. can top, which aperture is notched to form an index comprising adisk-like closure member formed of pliable, ductile material, having ashort cylindrical body closed at its lower end, a flange surrounding itsupper open cylindrical end, a projection in the outer cylindrical wallof said closure body, an abrupt shoulder with a beveled lower edge onsaid cylindrical body spaced from said flange and forming a groovearound the body and the projection suitably dimensioned to receive thethickness of the paper in the can top, said projection and notch formingthe starting point for full engagement of said groove of the closurewith said aperture, said disklike closure being bendable for fullengagement o-f-the portion of said groove on said projection andsubsequently flattened to attain the said full engagement of said grooveI with said aperture.

2. A flexible disk-like dispensing closure adapted to be benttransversely for insertion in a notched aperture in a paper top of apaper can after the can is filled nearly to the top with a particulatematerial so as to reduce the air space within the can, said closurecomprising a short cylindrical, disk-like, under closure of pliablematerial, means forming a shallow recess opening in the upper side ofsaid under closure, means forming a centrally located aperture in saidunder closure, a turn top of pliable material,registering dispensingopenings formed in cooperating seating surfaces on said disk-like underclosure and on said turn top, an integrally formed compressible hollowboss with an externally flanged end projecting from said turn top forrotatably securing said turn top in said recess of said under closurewith said projection in said aperture so as to hold said seatingsurfaces together. said pliable material in said seating surfaces andsaid boss providing the necessary local deformation to accommoformingthe starting point'for full engagement ofv said groove with the edge ofsaid aperture, and said disk-like closure being bendable transverselyfor full engagement of the portion of said groove on said projection andsubsequently flatten so that said lower beveled edge engages in theaperture sealing the same against the escape of air from the container,whereby the paper in the can top is supported during full engagement ofthe groovewith the aperture in the can top by the internal air pressuretrapped under the top and created by full insertion of said closure.

3. A flexible disk-like dispensing closure for sealing an opening in acan top after the can is filled comprising an under closure of pliablematerial, means forming a shallow recess opening in the upper side ofsaid closure with a dispensing opening and a seating surface thereinadapted to receive a turn-top with a dispensing opening and a seatingsurface for mating with the seating sur- 5 face on said under closure,means on said under closure adapted to interengage with a portion on theturntop to rotatably secure the turn-top in said recess with the seatingsurfaces together whereby the opening in the turntop may be moved into,and out of, registry with the opening in said closure, said seatingsurface of pliable material providing the necessary local deformation toaccommodate particulate material trapped on the seating surfaces, aflange surrounding the outer upper edge of said under closure, an abruptshoulder formed on said under closure opposite said flange having acontinuous lower beveled edge for engaging the opening in the can andsealing the same against the escape of air from the can, whereby the cantop is supported during assembly of the dispensing closure with theopening in the can top by internal air pressure under the top created byinsertion of the closure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,915,249 Jorgensen June 20, 1933 2,316,516 Hammerstein Apr. 13, 19432,777,616 De Shazor Jan. 15, 1957 2,805,005 Kappler Sept. 3, 19572,817,451 Giles et a1. Dec. 24, 1957 2,826,343 Albiani Mar. 11, 1958

